By Jon Hiltz
The scent of happiness and freedom will be wafting through the streets of Germany this weekend as the European nation hosts the 20th annual Hanfparade (Hemp Parade). In a compelling showing of cannabis support, Germans and other citizens of the world will march en masse through the streets of Berlin on August 13th for “the legalization of Cannabis as a resource, medicine and recreational drug.”
Two decades of German activism and support from thousands of individuals have not gone unnoticed — German authorities recently announced plans to legalize medicinal marijuana by 2017.
Germany’s advocates are presenting the United States as an example to show that legalized cannabis will be nothing short of fantastic. The headline in their promotional material points out that “Washington D.C. smells of pot and no one cares. This should be Germany too!” German officials should also be able to detect the economic gains from recreational cannabis in addition to the seemingly endless list of cost-effective medical treatments made available through cannabis.
The 2015 Hanfparade was 10,000 people strong, and this year’s event should be even bigger. The parade starts at 1 p.m. at the Washington Plaza Train Station, followed by a stop at 3 p.m. at the Ministry of Health. At 5 p.m. all participants are encouraged to join the massive rally next to the Mayor’s house (the Mayor should be thrilled) at Alexanderplatz. The rally features inspiring speakers, music, and information about medicinal and recreational cannabis.
Marijuana.com’s parent company Weedmaps is a proud sponsor of the event. They will be sending a team of activists to march alongside the German citizens to show support for this spectacular cause, educate the masses on marijuana’s numerous medical and economic benefits, and give away some great swag at the Weedmaps booth located on ‘Fan Mile’ in front of the Brandenburg Gate.
Cannabis reform is a hot topic and one that is seeing traction in government institutions throughout Europe. Just recently, talk show host and vocal marijuana advocate Montel Williams was detained at a German Airport because they found medical marijuana in his luggage. The authorities checked his prescription and Montel was quickly on his way, with his weed intact!
The headline from People Magazine about the incident read, “Montel Williams Grateful for German Officials Compassion.” Ten years ago, when Hanfparade was only a decade old, that headline and Montel’s experience would have been vastly different. It’s safe to say that activism at Hanfparade has changed the German landscape, and this year’s event will add to that strong tradition.
